A lot of us have had to bump the heating a bit recently but there's a chance you might be able to claim back the cost of doing it.

Plummeting temperatures mean people able to claim payments to ensure they can keep warm.

Pensioners and people on benefits will be entitled to the Government’s Winter Fuel and Cold Weather Payments if the average temperature in your area is low enough.

The government's Department for Work and Pensions website allows you to see if you're eligible by entering your postcode.

Areas such as Bude, Launceston and Bodmin all qualify, according to the search.

If you're entitled to the payments, you can receive government support with paying heating bills during the cold winter months, reports the Mail.

Guy Opperman, minister for pensions and financial inclusion, said: “It’s important that older people keep their homes warm during the cold snap and we provide a range of financial support including Winter Fuel and Cold Weather Payments to enable them to do so.

“I urge pensioners to check that they and their relatives, friends and neighbours are keeping warm and receiving the support they are entitled to.”

Cold weather payments are paid if the average temperature in an area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below for seven consecutive days.

In addition, people aged 65 and over could also be eligible for winter fuel payments with millions of people automatically paid.

Does your area qualify?

Cornwall postcodes that appear to qualify, for the period February 23 to March 1, according to the DWP website, are:

EX22

PL13

PL14

PL15

PL17

PL18

PL22

PL23

PL24

PL25

PL26

PL27

PL28

PL29

PL30

PL31

PL32

PL33

PL34

PL35

TR9

You can go to the DWP website to check if a Cold Weather payment is due in your area.

When can it be claimed?

According to the Government, residents claiming certain types of benefit payments would be entitled to get a payment if the average temperature in their area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees celsius or below for seven consecutive days.

They must be in receipt of pension credit, income support, income-based job-seekers allowance, income-related employment and support allowance or universal credit.

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What can you claim with the Cold Weather Payment?

The scheme runs between November 1 and March 31 and those qualifying would get a payment of £25 for each seven-day period of ‘very cold weather’.

What do you have to do to claim the payment?

You actually don’t have to do anything. Residents don’t have to apply for the payments.

The Government said that anyone eligible to get a Cold Weather Payment would be paid automatically.

Anyone who believes they should have received a payment but hasn’t is advised to alert their pension centre or Jobcentre Plus. The universal credit helpline can also be used.

What about Winter Fuel Payments?

Anyone born on or before August 5, 1953 could get between £100 and £300 to help pay heating bills.

Residents would usually get a payment automatically if they’re eligible and in receipt of the state pension or another social security benefit, excluding housing benefit, council tax reduction, child benefit or universal credit.